India- Belarus Relation

Topic- International Relations [GS Paper-2]

Context- Recently, the 11th Session of the India-Belarus Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation was held in New Delhi.

Key Highlights 

• The Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation reviewed the results of bilateral cooperation that took place after the tenth session of the Commission in 2020. 
• While expressing satisfaction at the progress made in regard to some projects, the Commission directed the concerned Ministries and Departments to focus on key sectors in the trade & investment spheres to finalise concrete outcomes.
• On the economic front, there has been substantial progress with expanding cooperation across all the sectors of focus for both the countries.
• India and Belarus also reiterated their strong desire to further broaden their cooperation with emphasis on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, financial services, science and technology, heavy industries, culture, tourism, and education.
• The two ministers directed their respective business communities to engage with each other in these sectors to establish further mutually beneficial cooperation.
• The two counterparts also agreed to promote cooperation among various states in India and regions in Belarus, especially in focus areas.
• The session was an opportunity to review the existing relationship and find out ways and means to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

India-Belarus Relations

Diplomatic Relations

• India has traditionally established warm and cordial relations with Belarus.
• India was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus as an independent country in 1991 after Belarus was separated from the Soviet Union.
• The cooperation between the two nations can be seen at many multilateral fora such as the UN Security Council (UNSC) and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
• Belarus was one of the countries whose support helped in consolidating India’s candidature for the non-permanent seat at the UNSC in 2020.
• India has also reciprocated Belarus’s support at several international fora, such as Belarus’s membership in the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and other international and multilateral groups like IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union).

Comprehensive Partnership

• The two countries have established a comprehensive partnership and have adopted mechanisms for exchanging views on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues through Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), and Joint Commission on Military Technical Cooperation.
• Both of the countries have signed a number of Agreements or MoUs on various subjects, including trade and economic cooperation, culture, education, media and sports, tourism, science & technology, agriculture, textiles, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Promotion and Protection of Investments, and defence and technical cooperation.

Trade and Commerce

• In the economic sector, the annual bilateral trade and commerce turnover in 2019 stands at USD 569.6 million.
• India’s special gesture in 2015 which granted Belarus the Market Economy Status and a USD 100 million Line of Credit has also helped in the growth in the economic sector.
• Market Economy status is a status conferred on the country exporting the goods which is accepted as the benchmark. 
• Before this status, the country was considered as a Non-Market Economy (NME).
• India’s encouragement to the Belarusian entrepreneurs to invest in ‘Make in India’ projects are bearing fruits.

Indian Diaspora:

• The Indian Diaspora in Belarus consists of around 112 Indian nationals and 906 Indian students pursuing studies in medicine in State medical universities in Belarus.
• Also Indian art and culture, dance, yoga, ayurveda, films, etc. remain popular among Belarusian nationals.
• Many young Belarusians have taken keen interest in learning Hindi and dance forms of India.

Way ahead in the relation

• In the current context Belarus needs several footholds in Asia diversified by geographical subregions.
• Also India could become one of such pillars in South Asia, but Belarusian initiatives should definitely fall into the “matrix” of India’s national interests and sacred meanings.
• There are certain hidden reserves for cooperation in the field of cybersecurity that needs to be implemented.
• Belarus can also act as an “entry point” for Indian pharmaceutical companies to the Eurasian market.
• The potential of military and technical cooperation, including shared developments, yet to be fully disclosed.
• Cinema (Bollywood) could also act as a stimulator in the interest of the Indian business community and tourists.
• An additional progress in the export of tourism and medical services could be ensured by recreational centres being established in Belarus based on Indian traditional medicine models (Ayurveda + Yoga).

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